GIANT ALIEN Informe resumido

Development of best practice guidelines and an integrated control strategy

The best practice guidelines and an integrated control strategy have been developed on the basis of outputs from all the work-packages in the project. The project team has studied as many relevant aspects as possible of the biology and ecology of Heracleum mantegazzianum in Europe, the invaded area, and in the Caucasus, its native area: Taxonomy and genetics, development and phenology (seasonal changes and growth cycle), population dynamics, pathology, herbivorous insects and their impact on the plants, as well as interactions with soil, nutrients, vegetation cover and land use changes. Especially the effects of herbicides, grazing, pathogens and herbivores and vegetation management schemes as potential control strategies for tall invasive hogweeds have been investigated. The overall objective of the 'best practice' manual is to provide all European authorities and private with scientifically based but simple and practical management methods. The manual is available in eight different European languages on the project homepage where printed copies also can be ordered.